Alright – we stretched the truth a little. The £200 tablet is only 16GB with an 8-inch screen, but it’s still got the internals to out-run the iPad 2. In fact, the 1.5GHz processor (an ARM A9, but developed by Texas Instruments) is rumoured to be 50% faster than the nVidia Tegra found in other Android devices and the iPad’s brain.

The 8″ model – 1.7-inches smaller than the iPad – boasts a 1024 x 766 display, a resolution almost identical to that of the iPad but in a smaller form. The colours, contrast and viewing angle are by no means as beautiful as Apple’s IPS screen technology, and pushing too hard on the plastic front distorts the screen, but it is certainly most impressive form a £200 device.

The 10.1″ model, available for £279, has a Macbook-equalling 1280×800 resolution, which means it actually pulls ahead of the iPad quite significantly despite a much lower price-point. Watch out for other articles claiming it’s £249 – a mistake in the press release has widely circulated this incorrect rumour (we spoke to Archos’ CEO himself).

The 250GB harddrive version – which uses a combination of 4GB Flash memory and 246GB of the traditional computer kind – gives the G9 exceptional storage capacity for £400. Operating system files (Android Honeycomb 3.1) are stored on the Flash memory for instant access, better durability and lower battery-life costs. Other stored media hangs about on the huge hard disk.

We questioned Archos whether sticking a giant hard drive in a tablet kills battery-life, and were pleased to hear that the regular battery-life (10 hours) only drops by one hour on the 250GB model. Whether they did this through voodoo or science, it’s exciting and definitely innovative.

The other major innovation is the 3G dongle. While the standard tablet comes with wifi built-in, 3G is available through a plug-in USB stick, so instead of having to decide on your 3G demands before buying your device, you can choose to update at a later time.

It also means that you can pull out the 3G dongle and use it for 3G surfing on your computer, so you’ll only need one 3G account for both your tablet and your laptop.

Add a video conferencing 720p webcam, a light body (under 500g from the 8-inch) and full Android Market support and there’s a lot to love about these machines.

Our only downer was the chassis – it felt like it costs half that of the iPad or Samsung Galaxy. We’d also like to know how much RAM is inside the body – if it’s 512MB or 1GB, it’s a great little machine – otherwise we might see halting or stuttering as more apps open up (when we went hands-on, it seemed perfect.)

HD video played without a problem, and the 1080p HDMI output to a screen worked flawlessly. For us, it was the seamless tablet experience that users have previously only got with the iPad – we thank the big-ass processor.

All-in, we’re very excited for the September launch. Very excited indeed.

[Source: Archos G9 tablet hands on: Cheaper, faster alternative to iPad 2]

Image courtesy of skippyjon from Flickr

Garmin Edge 305 GPS Bike Computer – R.R.P £259.99

A nifty little device that doubles as a GPS system and personal trainer, the Garmin Edge 305 is easy to use and comes with its own bike mount. The computer measures a variety of stats, including distance, speed, time, altitude, heart rate and calories burned. With a personal trainer function, it doubles as a virtual cycling partner and will map specific ‘courses’ to let you race against your best time. Able to detect your location even in challenging terrain, you’ll never have to take a map break again.

Archos Helmet Cam – R.R.P £169.99

Complete with built-in remote and microphone, the Archos Helmet Cam is the perfect way to record extreme stunts and journeys. The compact, light-weight camera fits onto the top of your helmet and comes with its own head band. For cyclists on a budget, cheaper models include the Actioncam Action Video Camera (R.R.P £39.99) and the OregonScientific ATC3K Action Camera Extreme (R.R.P £99.99).

Oakley RAZRWIRE Bluetooth enabled sunglasses – R.R.P around £150

Oakley are famous for making classy eyewear but now they’ve gone one step further and produced these Bluetooth enabled sunglasses, meaning you can answer calls with the press of a button and chat while you ride. The headset works up to 33 feet away from your mobile and, if your handset has voice-activated dialling, you can call someone on the go without having to look for your phone. The wireless technology promotes freedom of movement and the glasses are also available with prescription lenses.

Winkku Cycle Safety Mirror and Indicator Light – R.R.P £20

Every cyclist knows the perils of the right-hand turn. Holding your arm out in the path of an oncoming car and hoping any vehicles behind have noticed you is not an appealing prospect. Thankfully, the days of wobbling all over the middle of the road are over with Winkku’s indicator lights. Designed to fit onto the end of your handlebars, the lights serve as a rear view mirror and indicator so you can see who’s behind you and let them know where you’re going while maintaining your balance (and dignity).

[Source: Summer’s must-have cycling gadgets]

Reports are circulating that Amazon US have pulled the Archos 5 from sale. This is confirmed, at the time of writing, by a quick check of the sales page which states it’s not for sale because “customers have told us there may be something wrong with our inventory of the item, the way we are shipping it, or the way it’s described here”. This appears to relate to the 160GB version at the moment, and over on this side of the pond the 160GB is still available on Amazon UK, although only from a marketplace seller, with Amazon themselves just stocking the 250GB model.

[Source: Amazon US pulls Archos 5 from sale]